As summer approaches most of us begin to think about what we’re going to look like with our shirts off while we enjoy the warm wather. We all know this is the time to impress the ladies with a chiselled body! But, are you going to be showing off a solid six-pack? Or could you stand to lose a few pounds and tighten up your mid-section? If you’re looking to shed a few pounds and carve out a washboard stomach then the easy-to-follow plan detailed here is exactly what you need to get on the fast track to success. The plan includes easy-to-follow diet and exercise strategies that’ll help you quickly shed fat in no time!

5 Keys to the Summer Six-Pack Diet Plan

1. The first strategy is to eat more frequently throughout the day. Ideally, you want to eat four to six meals every day. This can include your three main meals plus two or three snacks. By eating more frequently you increase your metabolic rate and burn more calories throughout the day!

2. Try to have a good source of protein at every meal or snack. Eating protein has a greater thermogenic (calorie-burning) effect than eating carbohydrates or fat. Therefore, by eating more protein you can give your metabolic rate a significant boost. Some good sources of protein include chicken breast, beef, salmon, cottage cheese, yogurt, and whey protein powder.

3. Eat vegetables with at least three of your meals each day. Veggies are not calorie dense, but do contain a lot of important vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Veggies will fill you up and help stop you from overindulging on the ‘bad’ foods!

4. Have some ‘healthy’ essential fats with each meal. Yes, I’m recommending you eat fat to burn fat! It’s true – certain fats can actually help enhance fat loss. More specifically it’s polyunsaturated (which are essential fatty acids) and monounsaturated fats that have a host of health benefits and can also support fat loss. Some excellent sources of polyunsaturated fats include fish, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts. Almonds, pecans, olive oil, and avocados are great sources of monounsaturated fats.

5. Drink lots of water! Just like food, water can also have a thermogenic (calorie-burning) effect on the body. Drinking cold water has actually been shown to significantly increase metabolism. Simply put, a more hydrated body is more metabolically active!

The sample diet plan outlined here is based on the five strategies I’ve just explained. This plan is designed for a 180-pound male. So, if necessary slightly increase or decrease the portion sizes relative to your current body weight.

1. Most people only associate weight training with building muscle. However, if you want to maximize fat loss then you’ve got to work out with weights at least three times a week! Weight training requires a lot of energy and therefore burns a lot of calories and fat. It also builds muscle and as a result increases metabolic rate!

2. In regards to weight training, use mainly compound exercises in your routine. Compound exercises involve movement at more than one joint and involve mainly major muscle groups. Bench press, squats, and dumbbell rows are all examples of compound exercises. These types of exercises stimulate more muscle fibers than isolation exercises and are more metabolically demanding!

3. During your weight-training workouts try to keep your rest periods to a minimum between each set. Rest periods between sets should be 30 to 60 seconds in length. With shorter rest periods between sets your heart rate will stay elevated throughout the entire workout. Again, this is just another simple strategy you can use to increase caloric expenditure and enhance fat loss!

4. Regular cardiovascular exercise should be an essential part of your plan. I recommend you try to get in at least three cardio workouts per week. If you find you’re not losing as much fat as you’d like then shoot for five sessions a week.

5. Do some cardio right after your weight-training workouts. After weight training your body should be depleted of its carbohydrate stores. So, this is the perfect time to do some cardio and tap into fat stores!

Take a look at the sample weekly exercise plan I’ve outlined here. It includes a weight-training and cardio plan that’ll help you quickly reach your goals!

About the AuthorDr. Darren Burke (PhD) is a nationally ranked athlete turned university professor and research scientist. His papers are published in peerreviewed scientific journals around the world. Dr. Burke is also the Founder and CEO of a new innovative supplement company, RIVALUS Inc. For more info, please visit: www.rivalus.net